A Change in Perspective

North Valley Middle School

Saying goodbye and moving on to the next task is a difficult thing for me. Today exemplified the transition I am making as I hugged North Valley teachers goodbye and turned in my classroom and school keys (with tears) and then drove down to Platteville to meet a new staff and embrace my new responsibilities as a 5th grade teacher. It is so easy for me to cling to the good things with which the Lord blesses me, but today I have had several reminders of the eternal perspective.

Before I got my job at North Valley, I adopted “When I Think About the Lord” as the perspective I wanted to have no matter the outcome of my job search. I sang the words as I drove to interviews, I sang them through tears at disappointments, I sang them when He provided me with a middle school job, all the while reminding myself that the Lord’s plan is best. As I pulled away from North Valley Middle School, where I have spent the past 2 years, and headed down to Platteville Elementary, I turned on the song to remind myself again of the Lord’s perfect plan through everything. When thinking about what the Lord has done for me eternally, I am able to thank Him in any and every situation.

When I think about the Lord
How He saved me, how He raised me
How He filled me with the Holy Ghost
How He healed me to the uttermost
When I think about the Lord
How he picked me up, turned me around
How He set my feet
On solid ground

It makes me want to shout
Hallelujah! Thank you, Jesus!
Lord, You’re worthy of all the glory,
And all the honor, and all the praise!
Hallelujah! Thank you, Jesus!
Lord, You’re worthy of all the glory,
And all the honor, and all the praise!

When I got home and turned on my computer, I was greeted with the Bible verse of the day, Acts 20:24, which also challenged me to take on a different perspective.

“I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.”

My role as a teacher has a much deeper purpose that seeing that students can read and write. My role as a Christian teacher (even in a public school) is to share the love of Christ in whatever way possible. The Lord used me in tremendous ways at North Valley Middle School and I was blessed. Now He is moving me to Platteville Elementary because He wants me to serve Him there. My goal in life is to finish the race and complete the task He has given me—to testify to the gospel of God’s grace!

Platteville Elementary School